CH 79

By the time the sun barely rose in the sky, the porch was noisy with the Emperor’s knights rushing in from the Imperial Palace. Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I crawled out of bed and stared at the knights lined up in front of the circular staircase.

“What’s going on, Marilyn?”

“Her Majesty seemed to have sent someone. It’s because yesterday, the young master, I mean, His Grace used his ability.”

It’s not like Dietrich hurt people with his ability, he just made it so that the Euclid knights wouldn’t rush against him by tying their feet to the ground, so what’s all this fuss about? 

I slowly went down the stairs, covering my yawning mouth with both my hands. Marilyn wrapped a blanket around me, bothered that I was only in my pajamas. 

“Hello.”

“Greetings. I am Bohumil, the Commander of the Knights Order directly under Her Majesty.”

The knight with a strong physique glanced behind me and continued speaking. 

“Where is your older brother right, Dietrich Lagrange, my lady? Did he perhaps run away?”

Ran away weren’t words that fit Dietrich. I shook my head with a small smile. 

“I think he’s probably still sleeping.”

“Please call him this instant. Her Majesty has called for him.”

I frowned because I was displeased with the manner of the knight speaking to me in a commanding tone.

‘Should I say no?’

I thought about it for a moment, but before I could refuse, Dietrich appeared. Walking from the other side of the hallway; he was dressed neatly without anything out of place although it was early morning close to dawn. 

“Dietrich Benoit-Louis Honore de Lagrange! I am the knight sent by Her Majesty to investigate your treason closely.”

Treason, you say. Wasn’t this too much for just giving a scare to the knights of Euclid? I never dreamed that using one’s ability in the capital would lead to such a serious crime because Dietrich had used his abilities as if it was a trivial thing. 

“Come to the Imperial Palace with us right now!”

The knight ordered his men to raise their weapons as if giving an air of being threatening, but Dietrich slowly spoke without raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t want to.”

It was a firm refusal. Dietrich, who had personally walked to the front door, glanced at the knights. He was just looking at them but the knights trembled as if they were facing a ghost. 

“Isn’t it impolite to rush and attack someone’s house early in the morning? Get out.” 

“I knew you would come out like that.” 

The knight coughed a little as if he was expecting this reaction and pulled out a sealed envelope from his pocket. 

“This is Her Majesty’s message.” 

The letter, stamped with the Emperor’s seal in wax, soon fell into Dietrich’s hand. The knight calmly opened his mouth as if he already knew the contents of the letter he had been divested of. 

“Marguerite II, the lioness of Valliere, the only sun of the Bernoulli Empire, does not allow you to inherit the title of the Grand Duke in the name of God.” 

“What did you say?” 

I took a step forward, exclaiming at the development that completely contradicted the original. As I approached, Dietrich quickly reached out and grabbed me.

“Don’t come close. It’s dangerous.” 

He lowered his head and whispered in a low voice so that only my ears could hear, then he turned and looked at the knight commander. 

“What’s the reason?” 

“It is because your insidious ability and cunning personality have revealed a potential for rebellion.” 

After growing the empire this much with the powerful force of the shadow demons, it was now an insidious ability. I snorted loudly as if hearing such unbelievable words. 

“If I don’t get formal recognition of the title of Grand Duke, will there be no more room for treason?” 

Dietrich replied with an indifferent attitude even though one wrong move could mean he wouldn’t be able to inherit the title. 

“You must want to quit being an empire.” 

‘If you say it like that, you’ll be more misunderstood, you stupid idiot!’

I raised my voice instead because I was frustrated at Dietrich who said useless things.

“Treason? Euclid was the first to come to our mansion with a weapon!” 

“Hermann Euclid is the most popular and highly respected noble in the Empire as well as a loyal knight to Her Majesty. Are you saying that he invaded the Lagrange mansion without any reason?” 

‘Most popular and highly respected? With that personality?’

Now that I had just become barely an adult, I frowned, recalling Hermann who was more old-fashioned than Josef. The knight continued his speech impudently. 

“That is not possible. Hermann Euclid is like a symbol of the imperial nobility. He is a man of such great self-control that he had never even used his abilities in the capital.”

It was reasonable if the characteristics of the imperial nobility were dullness stemming from supremacy.  The knight glanced at me with feverish intensity and opened his mouth. 

“Whatever the reason Sir Hermann Euclid visited the Lagrange mansion, Dietrich Lagrange was the only one who used his abilities. I have nothing to say even if I am handed to the police right away.” 

Of course, there was no way Dietrich was going to get caught by him. As he clenched his fist as if to move the shadow, the knight was frightened and hastily added. 

“However, Her Majesty has made one condition as her last consideration for you.” 

“?” 

“She said that she would overlook treason and officially grant the title of Grand Duke under certain conditions. What a merciful majesty, isn’t she?”

As if expecting Dietrich’s heart to be moved, the knight’s eyes shone brightly. However, it was just an absurd, vain hope. 

“I don’t even want to hear it.” 

The shadows that had gathered around the knight quickly inflated their body. The knight trapped in the black mist that could not be cut with a sword hurriedly opened his mouth. 

“Please listen to it first! It's good for you too! Anissa Lagrange, that is if your younger sister enters the Imperial Palace as Her Majesty’s handmaiden – ack!” 

I opened my eyes wide at the sudden mention of my name, however, the knight could not finish his sentence properly. 

Because Dietrich’s shadow holding him by his ankle had sent him flying across the mansion.

“Babbling again with that load of nonsense.”

Dietrich muttered as he dusted his hands. The emperor’s knights, who had lost their commander in an instant, raised their swords in astonishment. 

“If you’re going to bark, bark all at once. Because it’s annoying.” 

He frowned, ignoring such knights. The knight, who appeared to be the oldest among them, clasped his armor and stepped forward. 

“Si-Sir! What the hell are you doing right now! Are you saying you’re going to start a rebellion?”

“Why should I? The ruined Imperial Palace of Valliere is not worth a handful of ashes to me.” 

“Then why are you being stubborn? If you line up the daughters of high-ranking nobles aspiring to become the Emperor’s maidservant and they’ll reach the North! It's a position of honor!” 

“If it’s soo good, why don’t you do it?”

Dietrich said, raising the corner of his lips and the older knight’s face burned red. He opened his mouth wide, the redness rising up to the top of his half-balding head.

“What nonsense are you saying right now!”

“I don’t know why you’re angry. If you think it’s such an honorable position, why don’t you follow the Emperor around and pick out a headdress?” 

Dietrich responded coldly and approached the old knight. He was so tall that the knight who wasn’t even of small frame barely reached his chest. 

‘Doesn’t his knees hurt?’ 

If I grew up as fast as him, my knees would shiver in the cold at night. 

“I am a member of Her Majesty’s immediate knights! I am Her Majesty’s sword that protects the capital!” 

“Ah, I see. It’s not that different from what you’re doing right now.” 

“Are you fooling around only believing in the status of a duke which a bastard child like you has not officially taken over?” 

The highly irritated knight screamed back. Dietrich turned his back, covering his ears as if the screaming knight was noisy. 

“Baal.”

Bang!

A huge vibration was heard and the ground shook for a moment. The knights scattered all over the place at the demon that had been summoned only with words.  

“Get rid of them.” 

“...Wa-wait! We’ll retreat for now!”

At Dietrich’s decisive command, the knight who had been screaming like hell changed his attitude. He faltered and retreated, glaring at the huge shadow - Baal - that encroached upon the stairs. 

Marilyn tactfully ran out and opened the front door. 

“Then, goodbye.” 

As I had learned from Marilyn, I gracefully leaned over pointing at the hem of my pajamas, and bowed. Without a proper answer to my farewell, the knights hurriedly left the mansion. 

“Shall we not follow them?”

“For now.” 

Baal, who had instilled a lot of fear towards the knights, returned to his original form and rubbed his hands together submissively. I tilted my head to the side while looking at the demon which reminded me of a fly at first glance. 

“Why is the Emperor anxious that she can’t take me?” 

Did she like my appearance that much? My body trembled as I recalled the gleam in her eyes when she looked at me. 

“She probably wanted you as a hostage. Because the Grand Duchy is big enough to match against the Imperial House.”

“But Euclid’s power is bigger than Lagrange.” 

I had never heard of the Princess of Euclid becoming the Emperor’s maidservant. Dietrich smirked as I pouted. 

“Is it all right for you to send them back recklessly just like that? Wouldn’t it be better if I just served as her maid for a little while?”

“....Do you want to go to the Imperial Palace?”

The smile on his lips disappeared in an instant at my question. I swallowed my saliva in the sudden freezing atmosphere.